Improvement in compound girders



R. A. HEALY.

COMPOUND GIRDER.

Patented Apri118, 1876.

N-PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. O C.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQE.

RICHARD A. HEALY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CEOMPOUND GIRDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 176,307, dated April 18,1876 application filed December 15,1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- RICHARD ALBERT HEALY, of the city of Paterson andState of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Compound Girders gr Beams, of which the following is a descripion:

My invention consists in a girder or beam composed of a number ofsections, made preferably of .rolled iron, and arranged side by side inpairs, the several pairs being united by suitable scarf-jointsat theupper or lower edge with pairs of sections situated above or below, andat either or both ends by dther scarf-joints with other pairs ofsections arranged in line with them, whereby I produce a girder or beamof great strength, which may, if desirable, be. transported in sectionsto the place where it is to be used, and there erected of any desiredlength and depth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of a girder, madeaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a top View or plane of the same.Fig. 3 is a bottom view or inverted plan thereof. Fig. 4 is a transversesection of the same. Fig. 5 is another transverse section, illustratinga method of decreasing the" depth of the girder. Fig. 6 is a transversesection of a girder of extra depth. Figs. 7 and 8 are transversesections-of girders having their sections scarfed differently in avertical direction. I

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring, first, to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, A A, B B, U, and Ddesignate a number ofsections, composing a girder or beam.

It will be seen that the sections A and A are in line, and the sectionsB and B in line lengthwise .of the girder; the section 0 below thesections A A the section D below the sections B B.

I will first describe the character or shape of the sections, then themanner of scarfing or uniting them vertically together, and subsequentlythe manner of scarfing or uniting them horizontally together lengthwiseof the girder.

Each of the several sections consists, essentially, of a flat plate orpiece of iron, having along one horizontal edge a flange, b, which,

in conjunction with the corresponding flange of a contiguous section,forms one of the tables of the girder, and having its oppositehorizontal edge 0, formed so that it may overlap the edges of a sectionarranged above or below, so as to form a scarfjoint. The edges 0 of thesections A, A, and D are extended laterally outward to lap outside theedges 0 of the sections B, B, and O, and near the said edges 0 of thelatter are projections or .ribs 01, against which the said edges 0 ofthe former bear, as may be seen in Fig. 4. Rivets or bolts f, or anyother suitable means, may be employed to secure the several sectionslaterally together.

I desire to call attention to the great strength which is aii'orded thegirder or beam by the longitudinal rib or swell formed by thescarfjointjust described.

In the girder illustrated by Fig. 5 the sections A and D are preciselylike those similarly lettered in the figures just described, and thesections E and F are like the sections B, B, and 0 except that they areof less depth.

It is obvious that by using sections E and F instead of sections B and Gin connection with the said sections A and D a girder of decreased depthmay be made, with only one extra pattern or styleof section.

Fig.6 illustrates a girder of extra depth. Between the sections A B andthe sections 0 D are interposed two sections, G and H, having theirhorizontal edges 0 so formed that in conjunction with the edges 0 of thesaid sections A B and C D they Wlll form scarf-joints like thosepreviously described.

Fig. 7 illustrates a girder of a slightly-mod: ified style. Each sectionconsists simply of a flat plate or piece of metal, having a flange, I),along one horizontal edge. Two sections or sets of sections, A and D,aredeeper than the other two sections or sets of sections B and C, so thatwhen united with each deep section opposite a section of less depth, thejoints between them will be at different horizontal elevations. Stripsor scarfs I extend outside each joint, and, being secured in place byrivets, bolts, or other suitable means, form a very strong joint.

Fig.8 represents another slightly-modified form of girder or beam. Thesections A and B have at the lower horizontal edge flanges J, whichextend horizontally outward, and lap downward over the sides of theflanges K, extending horizontally outward from the sec tions 0 and D.Rivets or bolts f, passing vertically through the flangesJ and K, securethe sections together.

The sections of the girder or beam, which, in slightly-modified form, 1have been describing, are scarfed or united together, lengthwise of thegirder or beam,.in such mannerthat the joint between the ends of any twosections is always situated at a considerable distance from the jointbetween the ends of any coutiguous sections, arranged either at the sideof them or above or below them and hence, one section always laps overand braces a joint between the ends of any two sections, as may be seenin Figs. 1, 2, and 3; and the several sections are very strongly andsecurely scarfed or united lengthwise of the girder. The ends of thesections may be either perpendicular or oblique to their longitudinaledges, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The girders l have described are specially intended to be made of rollediron, as in this way girders of such material may be made of very largedimensions. This will be appreciated when it is remembered that eachsection can be rolled of as large dimensions as hitherto a completegirder could have been rolled.

Other advantages, also, are due to this con struction of a girder,however. It provides for making a girder of uniform strength andsolidity throughout its length, of any desired depth and length, andafl'ords facility for the transportation of the girder to the placewhere it is to be used, inasmuch as its several sections, detached fromone another, may be transported in convenient quantities, and united toform a girder' or beam, of any desired length and depth, at the placewhere the latter is required. It is obvious that the latter advantageswould pertain to a girder,made in the manner described, of cast-iron orother suitable material.

I deem it well to mention that the girder or beam I have described maybe cambered or arched throughout its entire length, or any suitableportion thereof, by suitably shaping the sections, of which it iscomposed, or it may be made of varying depth by the interposition oraddition of extra sections, as illustrated in Fig. 6, at any part of itslength. Also, that the ends and edges of the several sections of agirder may be scat-fed together in any suitable manner, and may be soformed as to interlock or engage with one another, in which case therivets or bolts employed to secure them would be relieved of a greatdeal of strain, and the girder materially strengthened.

It is obvious that this girder may be ornamented by moldings to suit thetaste.

I may add tha the sections of the modified girder, illustrated in Fig.7, may be made of plates or strips of boiler-iron, having secured tothem, near one horizontal edge, angle-irons of suitable shape to formthe table.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A compound girder or beam, the sections of which are united edge toedge as well as side to side, so that the resulting joints are bothhorizontal and vertical.

2. The combination of the sections A B O D, having flanges b, and theirmeeting edges 0, formed to interlap, and rivets, bolts, or other meansfor securing them together, substantially as and for the purpose hereinset forth.

3. A section for acompound girler or beam, formed as described.consisting of a tlat web, provided at one side and edge with a flange,and at the other with an oli'set, lip, or scarf, in the manner shown,for securing it to the adjacent section, the two forming one lateralhalf of a girder, substantially as specified.

RIOHARD ALBERT HEALY.

Witnesses:

LEVI D. YORK, JAMES Lonrus.

